The elements belonging to six groups i.e. from group 13 to group 18 are called p-block elements. 

Two characteristics of p-block elements of modern periodic table are:

1. The p-block elements have p-sub-shell as the last orbital i.e. their last electron enters one of the three p-orbitals of their corresponding outermost shells.
2. They can have 1 to 6 electrons in the last  sub-shell as they have 3 orbitals.  

The elements belonging to groups numbered from 3 to 12 are called d-block elements.

Two characteristics of d-block elements of modern periodic table are:

1. The d-block elements have d-sub-shell as the last orbital i.e. their last electron enters any one of the five d-orbitals.
2. They can have 1 to 10 electrons in the last  sub-shell as they have 5 orbitals.